New Orleans, Katrina & Football

I'm a Chicago Bears fan.

Next Sunday the Chicago Bears will play the New Orleans Saints for the right to play in the Super Bowl. As a Bears fan, I will be rooting for Da Bears to win the game. During this week of pre-game hype on ESPN and the rest you will hear how New Orleans Saints are Destiny Team due to events of Katrina and the relief efforts. They will be the media sentimental favorites. The media will do countless number of stories about the New Orleans Saints players helping relief efforts. Those players should applaud for their good deeds.

Let's not confuse a football game with Katrina relief efforts. If the the New Orleans Saints win the game, it will not bring back the city, jobs, houses, or family members. Yes, it will bring cheer to a city and it's people need it. But, at the end of the day New Orleans and the Gulf Coast still has a long way to fully recover.

Everyone loves a story about how the underdog triumph and the New Orleans Saints winning the Super Bowl will be a great story. It makes everyone feel warm inside and forget about their troubles. It will not make me feel good, I want the Bears to win and also want the people who were affected by Katrina to get their lives back. The media will make it seem like a New Orleans Saints victory will bring back New Orleans to all of it's glory. The following day they will pack up and forget about New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. But, the struggle will still continue. Don't be fooled, it's only a football game. If you really want to help relief efforts please do more than cheer for the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.

Click on the following links to help the people of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast.

* Hurricane Katrina Support
* Hurricane Katrina Help
* Hurricane Recovery: USA.gov

If you have anymore links or info on how to help the relief efforts please add in the comments section.